A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Monday, 3 October 2011

Today's must-read pro-life news-stories, Mon 3 October

Xiu Fang Zhang (right)

Top stories:

Wakefield public meeting to hear parents' worries about explicit sex education
A public meeting will be held tomorrow (4 October) evening in Wakefield to hear parents' worries about explicit sex education programmes in primary schools. Antonia Tully, coordinator of Safe at School, SPUC's nationwide campaign for parents concerned about explicit sex education, has been invited to Wakefield to explain how graphic sex education is priming young children for teenage sex. The meeting has been organised in response to the concerns of local families. [SPUC, 30 September] http://goo.gl/N04xY

Chinese mother-of-four wins right to appeal UK deportation order
A Chinese mother of four children has won the right to appeal against a decision to deport her from the UK back to Communist China. Xiu Fang Zhang (pictured), 34, came to Britain in 2003. She fears that her children will be taken away from her by the Communist authorities if she is deported to China. [Mail, 3 October] http://goo.gl/rKO2F

UK writer killed himself with euthanasia kit
A British man killed himself with a euthanasia kit bought on the internet, a coroner's inquest has found. Jack Semmens, 73, ordered the kit from the United States. Mr Semmens left notes saying: "£10,000 to Dignitas? I don’t think so", "So many people live far too long" and "Tired of life". [Sunday Sun, 2 October] http://goo.gl/SpcT4

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John Smeaton

About me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 33 years. I became director of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

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